A link curvature processing module enables a user with the ability to control the curvature of links in a node-link diagram. As a node-link diagram is displayed to a user, the user may interact with the diagram and adjust the curvature of one or more links in the diagram to improve the readability of the diagram. The user's modification to the curvature of a link alters the shape of the link so that the position of the nodes connected to the link does not change. By providing the user with such control, the user is able to tailor the visual display of the links to the user's preference.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A system, comprising: at least one processor and a memory; the memory storing thereon processor-executable instructions, that when executed on the at least one processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising: display a node-link diagram, the node-link diagram having a plurality of nodes and a plurality of links, a link being a curve connecting a source node to a target node, at least one link associated with a first data attribute; detect an interactive link magnet associated with the first data attribute positioned in close proximity to the node-link diagram, the interactive link magnet having a magnetic attraction with links associated with the first data attribute; and alter curvature of the at least one link associated with the first data attribute without moving the source node and the target node in a direction towards the interactive link magnet in response to the interactive link magnet attracting the at least one link associated with the first data attribute.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed on the at least one processor, cause the processor to perform further acts that: separate out the at least one link associated with the first data attribute from other links in the node-link diagram not associated with the first data attribute.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one link associated with the first data attribute is distinguishable from other links in the node-link diagram not associated with the first data attribute.
4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a line magnet having two magnets arranged in a linear form.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein strength of the link magnet pulls the at least one link associated with the first data attribute a distance of radius r from an original position of the at least one link associated with the first data attribute.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed on the at least one processor, cause the processor to perform further acts that: modify curvature of the at least one link associated with the first data attribute by defining control points to generate a spline curve representing a modified link.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the interactive link magnet is a draggable graphics software programmed to search for links having the first data attribute within a given radius of a position of the interactive link magnet.
8. A method, comprising: displaying a node-link diagram; using an interactive link magnet associated with a label to attract one or more links in the node-link diagram that are associated with the label, wherein a link represents a curve connecting a source node to a target node in the node-link diagram, the interactive link magnet having a magnetic strength that exhibits an attraction of links associated with the label within a defined radius; and in response to the interactive link magnet being positioned in close proximity to the node-link diagram, modifying curves of the one or more links associated with the label without altering placement of a respective source node and target node.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the modified curves separate out the one or more links associated with the label from other links in the node-link diagram not associated with the label.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the interactive link magnet includes two magnets, wherein each magnet has a different magnetic strength and different defined radius.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the interactive link magnet includes two magnets, wherein each magnet has a same magnetic strength and a same defined radius.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein modifying curves of the one or more links associated with the label further comprises: generate control points needed to render the modified curvature of each link that matches the label of the interactive link magnet towards a center of the interactive link magnet without altering position of the source node and the target node of a link.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the magnetic strength of the interactive link magnet is user-defined.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the interactive link magnet is a software object programmed to search for links having the label within a radius associated with the interactive link magnet.
15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the defined radius is user defined.
16. A device, comprising: one or more processors and a memory; wherein the at least one processor is configured to: search for one or more links associated with a data attribute in a node-link diagram within a defined radius of a draggable graphic software object, wherein the one or more links are part of a node-link diagram, the node-link diagram including one or more nodes connected with a link representing a curve between a source node and a target node; and alter one or more curves of the one or more links associated with the data attribute in a direction towards the draggable graphic software object without changing a position of the source node and the target node of the altered one or more curves, wherein the draggable graphic software object has a magnetic strength that exhibits an attraction of links associated with the data attribute.
17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the draggable graphic software object is an interactive link magnet having a magnetic strength that separates the links associated with first data attribute from links not associated with the first data attribute.
18. The device of claim 16 , wherein the draggable software object includes two magnets configured in a linear form.
19. The device of claim 16 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to: generate one or more control points to alter one or more curves of the one or more links associated with the data attribute in a direction towards the draggable graphic software object without changing a position of a source node and a target node of the altered one or more curves.
20. The device of claim 16 , wherein the defined radius of the draggable graphics software object is user defined.
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March 19, 2018
April 28, 2020
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